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Fiorina, GOP leaders upset over debate snub

Posted: 7:24 PM, Feb 04, 2016

Updated:2016-02-05 00:41:59Z

By:
Justin Boggs

Copyright Getty Images

Justin Sullivan

<p>LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 15: Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina (R) speaks during the CNN Republican presidential debate on December 15, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is the last GOP debate of the year, with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) gaining in the polls in Iowa and other early voting states and Donald Trump rising in national polls. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)</p>

Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina demanded an invitation to this Saturday’s Republican Party New Hampshire debate that will be aired on ABC. But her wishes will not come true as ABC announced Thursday evening that she will be left out of Saturday's debate.

Fiorina, who has participated in all seven debates thus far, has toggled between four undercard and three main debates.

Saturday’s debate is the first GOP debate not to feature an undercard debate, as three Republican candidates have dropped out of the race in recent days.

Iowa caucuses winner Ted Cruz will be joined by New Hampshire front-runner Donald Trump, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former surgeon Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush made the cut.

Candidates who finished in the top three in Iowa or are polling in the top six in New Hampshire or nationally earned an invitation to this Saturday’s debate. Fiorina

Fiorina has been polling behind the seven remaining candidates in national polls. In New Hampshire, she trails everyone but Carson. In a CNN/WMUR poll released Thursday, Fiorina was tied for sixth in New Hampshire with Christie.

Despite Fiorina’s struggles in the polls, a number of prominent Republicans asked ABC and the Republican National Committee to include Fiorina.

Among those pushing for Fiorina were Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich. Their efforts were frutile.